FSC 109
|debut = None|return = |pre = FSC #108|nex = FSC #110|edition = Forum Song Contest #109|withdraw = |image = }} For the third time in FSC history, we are hosted in Poland, in the historic city of Kraków, after the Polish victory in FSC 108, with the song 'Without you' by Gromee feat. Lukas Meijer. We have a decline in participants to only 31 for this edition, with the withdrawal of Australia, Morocco, Russia, Switzerland and the USA. However, we also have two returning countries, namely Austria and Lithuania. During the revealing of the results, the United Kingdom took the victory with 'You are the reason' by Calum Scott. Ironically, this was the backup entry of the UK, as their initial entry was disqualified, after evidence emerged that the chorus was copied or sampled from an older song. Second place went to Italy, while Romania came in third. The Host City The Host city for the 109th edition of FSC is Kraków , the second largest city in Poland and one of its oldest cities. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland (Małopolska) region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural & artistic life. The city is one of Poland's most important economic hubs. The name of Kraków could have several origins, but is traditionally derived from Krakus (Krak, Grakch), the legendary founder of Kraków (‘Krak’s town’) and a ruler of the tribe of Lechitians, a West Slavic people. Kraków's early history begins with evidence of a Stone Age settlement, on the present site of the Wawel Hill. A legend attributes Kraków's founding to the almost mythical ruler Krakus, who built it above a cave occupied by a dragon, Smok Wawelski. The first written record of the city's name dates back to 965 when Kraków was described as a notable commercial centre. At the end of the 19th century Kraków became a Polish national symbol and a centre of culture & art, known frequently as the "Polish Athens" or "Polish Mecca". Today’s Kraków is a city of history and tradition but also a modern city with all the amenities expected of such a city. Developed over many centuries Kraków provides a showcase setting for many historic styles of architecture. Kraków's historic centre, which includes the Old Town, Kazimierz & the Wawel Castle, was included as the first of its kind on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Kraków is a major attraction for both local & international tourists, housing 100+ hotels, attracting 7 million visitors a year. Major landmarks include the Main Market Square with St. Mary's Basilica and the Sukiennice Cloth Hall, the Wawel Castle, the National Art Museum, the Zygmunt Bell at the Wawel Cathedral and medieval St Florian's Gate with the Barbican along the Royal Coronation Route. The city also has an active nightlife with an abundance of cafes, bars, pubs and clubs, often filled with the city’s huge amount of students, as well as other locals and visitors from all over the world . Some of these places are in the Old Town underneath a facade of ancient architecture, others down dark alleyways, up older pathways or in the centre near the Main Square. The Venue The host venue for FSC #109 is the Tauron Arena. This is a multi-functional indoor arena which has a seating capacity of about 15.000 for sporting events. It hosted the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship tournament, 2016 Europe League of Legends Championship Finals & 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I. It also hosted the 2016 European Men's Handball Championship. It's one of the largest, most modern entertainment & sports venues in Poland. It allows to host a variety of sports events, including badminton, boxing, curling, hockey & more. The facility area has 61.434 m2, with maximum area of the arena court of 4 546 m2. The average capacity is 18.000 for music concerts. Tauron Arena boasts Poland's largest LED media façade, with total surface of 5.200 m2 of LED strip lighting, wrapping round the stadium, and one of Europe's largest LED screens, measuring over 540 m2. A popular & modern multipurpose venue that has hosted many concerts through the years with famous artists like Elton John, Bryan Adams, Mariah Carey, Lara Fabian, Bruno Mars, and Metallica to name a few. The Hosts Our lovely hosts for this evening are Joanna Krupa, Krzysztof Ibisz and Agnieszka Radwańska. Joanna Krupa (born 23rd April 1979 in Warzaw, Poland), is a Polish American model, actress and animal rights activist. She moved with her family to the USA at the age of five. She has appeared on magazine covers including FHM, Inside Sport, Stuff, Steppin' Out, Shape & Maxim, and graced the covers of South African GQ and the Polish editions of Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Glamour and Grazia. She's mostly known for her appearances, on reality television shows: ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and ‘The Real Housewives of Miami’, and as the host and head judge of the ‘Top Model’ Tv-show. Krzysztof Ibisz (born 25th February 1965 in Warsaw , Poland) is a well-known Polish game show host and television personality. He was also a member of Polish Beer-Lovers' Party, and a Deputy in the Polish Sejm (the lower house of the Polish parliament ) from 1991-93. He hosted the following Polish Tv-game shows: ‘Czar par’ (1993-1996 ), ‘Życiowa szansa’ (2000-2002), ‘Awantura o kasę’ (2002-2005), ‘Rosyjska Ruletka’ (2003-2004), ‘Gra w ciemno’ (2005-2007), ‘Gdzie jest Kłamczuch?’ (2008- 2009), and ‘Taniec z Gwiazdami (the Polish version of show ‘Dancing with the Stars’) (2014-). Agnieszka Radwańska (with nickname Aga, born 6th March 1989 in Kraków, Poland) is a famous Polish tennis player. She has won twenty career singles titles, and achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 2 in July 2012. She is the first Polish player in the Open Era, to reach a Grand Slam singles final (the 2012 Wimbledon Championships), and the first Pole to win the WTA Finals (in 2015). For her accomplishments in sport, and for representing her country with distinctio, she was awarded the 'Gold Cross of Merit' by the Polish President Bronisław Komorowski in 2013. The Show The Results The Winner Calum Scott - You are the reason: